First platinum community awarded by AIA
Dockside Green, the first Platinum certified community in the world, was recognised by the AIA as one of the Community on the Environment (COTE) top 10 examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment.
Integrated design firm, Perkins+Will, announced the completion of Dockside Green Residential Phase 1, Victoria, British Columbia, on 22 July 2008. The announcement proved to be a significant milestone in sustainable building practices with the development acting as a new sustainable building philosophy on a broader, community-based level rather than just one building at a time.
Dockside Green Phase I, also referred to as “Synergy”, includes four detached buildings constructed over a common underground parking structure, including a nine-storey residential tower with minor commercial units on the groundfloors; a two-storey townhouse; a six-storey building with minor commercial units on the ground floor; and, a four-storey residential building which reached Platinum at 63 points.
Sustainable elements implemented include: An integrated energy system that ensures the development will be greenhouse gas neutral; On-site wastewater treatment that is estimated to save more than 70,000 gallons of water annually; Rooftop gardens; A car co-op with Smart Car; Energy Star appliances; Heat recovery ventilations units; Low E double glazed windows and exterior blinds on the west and south faces of each building.
“Our integrated design process empowered us to work with a large team of players to develop a vision for Dockside Green that is truly sustainable,” said Peter Busby, a Founding Member and Current Chair of the Canada Green Building Council and Managing Director of Busby Perkins+Will. “Dockside Green raises the bar for large-scale urban design and planning, and produces an unrivaled sustainable community.”
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